Apparatus for packaging stacks of flat articles into packages

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for packaging stacks of flat articles into packages, wherein the mechanism for wrapping the stack into a package having its vertical face ends open comprises an endless roller conveyor adapted to support thereon a stack to be packaged, and an openable frame mounted on a vertically closed conveyor, this frame being adapted to wrap the stack along the top side and two opposite vertical sides thereof into wrapping material, as the frame is put onto this stack. The bottom side of the stack has the wrapping material folded thereupon by means of the said endless roller conveyor.

United States Patent 1 Duchinsky et al.

[54] APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING STACKS OF FLAT ARTICLES INTO PACKAGESlnventors: Yakov Efimovich Duchinsky, Tbiliss- Filed:

Mar. 4, 1971 Appl. No.: 120,842

US. Cl ..53/232, 53/228 Int. Cl ..B65b 11/12, B65b 41/14 Field of Search..53/l24 A, 124 C,

[ 1 May 22, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,338,0268/1967 Billi ..53/209 X Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr.Assistant ExaminerNeil Abrams Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & NissenABSTRACT An apparatus for packaging stacks of flat articles intopackages, wherein the mechanism for wrapping the stack into a packagehaving its vertical face ends open comprises an endless roller conveyoradapted to support thereon a stack to be packaged, and an openable framemounted on a vertically closed conveyor, this frame being adapted towrap the stack along the top side and two opposite vertical sidesthereof into wrapping material, as the frame is put onto this stack. Thebottom side of the stack has the wrapping material folded thereupon bymeans of the said endless roller conveyor.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEL :44? 2 .1175

SHEET 2 OF 2 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING STACKS OF FLAT ARTICLES INTOPACKAGES such as books, magazines, as well as of stacks of various flatarticles: boxes of candies, of pencils, etc.

At present, there are known apparatus for packaging of stacks of flatarticles, comprising a device for wrapping the stack with wrappingmaterial into a package with open face ends and a device for closingthese open face ends of the open-ended package, so as to form a finishedpackage. The known device for wrapping the stack with wrapping materialinto an openended package comprises two spaced stationary side walls anda vertically reciprocable table for pushing the stack with a length ofthe wrapping material overlying it through the space between thesewalls, the wrapping material being held to the top side of the stack bya movable clamp; a pusher member adapted to be introduced between thebottommost article in the stack and the top side of the table, in orderto fold the free end of the length of the wrapping material under thestack; and a stationary abutment means in the form of a plate onto whichthe stack is transferred, whereby the other, previously severed free endof the length of the wrapping material is folded upon the bottom side ofthe stack, in which manner an open-ended package is formed. Besides, theabovespecified known apparatus comprises a device for wrapping up thestack to be packaged with a wrapping material (see, for example, the GFRPat. No. 1,114,433, 01.81 a, 7/01 The provision of the verticallyreciprocable table curtails the capacity of the known apparatus, becausethe next successive stack to be packaged can be placed onto this. tableonly after the previous stack has been transferred unto the abutmentplate, and the table itself has been lowered into the initial loadingposition thereof.

Moreover, the necessity of performing the wrapping up operation involvesan excessive use of the wrapping material, and, furthermore, involvesthe employment of additional wrapping up mechanisms, whereby thestructure of the apparatus becomes more complicated.

The known apparatus is capable of packaging stacks within a relativelylimited range of their heights, because a pusher used for the packagingof relatively low stacks should itself be low, least it wouldabut'against the movable clamp. On the other hand, a low pusher cannotbe used for packaging high stack, because in this case in might effectdeformation of the stack and might even make the stack collapse.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome thesedisadvantages.

The present invention has for its aim the creation of an apparatus forpackaging stack of flat articles into packages, which should beefficient in operation and which should be capable of packaging stackswithin awide range of their heights, without the necessity of wrappingup the stacks prior to the packaging operation.

This aim is attached in an apparatus, comprising a device for wrapping astack with wrapping material into a package with open face ends and adevice for folding said open face ends of said package, so as to form atinished package, in accordance with the present invention, said devicefor wrapping a stack with wrapping material into a package with openface ends including an intermittently driven roller conveyor adapted tosupport thereon a stack to be packaged an openable frame carried by aclosed conveyor intermittently driven in a vertical plane, said framebeing adapted to be put about said stack and thus to wrap said stackalong the top side and two vertical sides thereof with wrapping materialpositioned intermediate of said frame and said stack; a pusher memberadapted to enter periodically the space between an adjacent pair of therollers of said roller conveyor, so as to introduce the free end of thelength of said wrapping material into said space, said free end beingfolded under the bottom side of said stack, as said roller conveyor isdriven to pull said free end under said stack. This structure of theapparatus steps up the capacity thereof and provides for doing withoutpreliminary wrapping up of the stack, since the provision of thevertically stationary roller conveyor makes it possible to advance thenext successive stack to be packaged onto this conveyor, immediatelyfollowing the previous stack already packaged thereon, as well as toroll the free end of the wrapping material under the bottom side of astack of practically any height; moreover, the herein disclosedapparatus does not need pushers for transferring the packaged stacktoward subsequent treatment. On the other hand, the provision of theframe adapted to be put about the stack prevents displacement of thewrapping material relative to the stack during the packaging operation,which provides for high-quality packaging.

It is advisable for said frame to be mounted on said vertically closedconveyor by means of pivoted rods and to be associated with rollersadapted to engage stationary guides mounted along the two vertical andthe horizontal work portions of said closed conveyor.

The provision of these guides brings about accurate indexing of theframe in relation to the stack, as the frame is being put thereabout; italso ensures that the frame travels at a permanent lever in relation tothe mechanisms of the apparatus.

The present invention will be better understood from the followingdetailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference being hadto the accompanying set of drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows schematically the general view of an apparatus embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a gripper for feeding the wrapping material;

FIG. 3 shows a device forfolding the face ends of a package,incorporated in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the same-device in the working position thereof.

The present invention will be described in connection with theembodiment thereof in an apparatus for frame 4 mounted by means ofpivoted rods 5 on a closed conveyor 6 running in a vertical plane. Thelast mentioned conveyor is intermittently driven by an electric motor(not shown in the drawings), the two vertical and the horizontal workingruns of this conveyor having mounted adjacent thereto stationary guides7 adapted to engage rollers 8 mounted for rotation on the frame 4 and onthe rods 5. The guides 7 are provided to accurately index the frame 4relative to the stack 3, as the frame is put onto the stack.

The conveyor 1 is intermittently driven by an electric motor (not shown)and includes a pair of parallel identical chains 9 running each in avertical plane, each chain 9 carrying a plurality of journals l0 spacedtherealong, the journals 10 of the two chains being arranged in opposingpairs, each pair supporting therebetween a freely rotatable roller 11.

A reciprocable pusher member 12 is provided for introducing one of thefree ends of the length of wrapping material 13 into the space betweenthe adjacent pair of the rollers 11. v

The pusher member 12 is reciprocated by means of a toothed rack 14 madeintegral therewith and meshing with a toothed segment 15 mounted on apivotable spring-returned arm 16 operatively connected with anelectromagnet 17. 1

The wrapping paper 13 is supplied in the form of a web unwound from asupply reel and advanced by a chain conveyor 18 including two parallelchains (of which only one is shown in the drawings), each chain carryinga plurality of grippers 19 (FIG. 2) spaced longitudinally therealong.

Each gripper 19 has a stationary jaw 20 secured to the chain 18 and apivotable jaw 21 normally urged toward the stationary jaw 20 by a spring22. The leg of the pivotable jaw 21 is bent and adapted to be engaged bya stationary camplate 23 positioned adjacent to the zone where the paperweb 13-is to be gripped by the grippers l9.

The leg of the stationary jaw 21 of each gripper 19 is further adaptedto engage either one of two abutments 24 and 25 (FIG. 1), the abutment24 being a stationary one and the abutment 25 being verticallyreciprocable by the interaction of a rack 26 integral with the abutment25, and a toothed segment 27 meshing with the rack. The segment 27 iscarried by 'a springreturned pivoted arm 28 operatively connected withan electromagnet 29.

When high stacks of newspapers are who packaged, 1

the length of the wrapping paper 13 should be greater, and in this casethe bent leg of the jaw 21 is made to engage the reciprocable abutment25.

When the stacks to be packaged are low, the bent leg of the jaw 21 ismade to engage the stationary abutment 24.

The paper web 13 is guided through the nip between a pair ofunidirectional clutches 30 mounted on a movable support 31 and isfurther guided about a roller 32 also mounted on this support. I

The support 32 is actuated by a rack 33 secured thereto, the rackmeshing with a pinion 34 rotated by an electric motor 35. it isnecessary to raise the support 31 together with the roller 32, in orderto position the paper web 13 above the stack 3 supported by the conveyorl. I

The unidirectional clutches 30 are provided to prevent any motion of thepaper web 13 in the direction opposite-to that in which the web isnormally advanced.

In order to effect severing of successive lengths of the wrapping paperfrom the web 13, there is provided a pair of severing blades 36 of whichone is stationary and the other one is reciprocable by a reversiblemotor 37 through a pinion 38 meshing with a rack 39 carried by thisreciprocable blade.

- Pasting together of the free ends of the severed length of thewrapping paper, folded under the bottom side of the stack 3, is effectedwith the help of a glueing device including a train of rollers 40 ofwhich one is immersed in a glue bath 41 and another one is carried by aspring-returned arm 42 mounted for pivoting motion about a pivot axis43. The arm is pivoted to effect engagement of the roller 40 with thepaper web 13 under the action of an electromagnet 44.

Positioned at the same level with the stacksupporting run of the rollerconveyor 1 is a rollerway 45 assisting in folding of the severed end ofthe paper web 13 under the bottom side of the stack 3 and also servingas means for conveying this stack, when it is wrapped into an open-endedpackage, toward a device for closing, or folding the open face ends ofthis package.

The last-mentioned device for folding the open face ends of anopen-ended package comprises a set of punches 46 and 47 (FlG. 3 and 4)and dies 48.

The last-mentioned device for folding the open face ends of anopen-ended package comprises a set of punches 46 and 47 (FIG. 3 and 4)and dies 48.

The punches 46 aremounted on a common U-shaped support 49 and arereciprocated by a motor 50 associated with a pinion 51 meshing with atoothed rack 52 secured to the support. Also meshing with the pinion 51is another pinion 52 non-rotatably mounted on a shaft 54 carrying aradial arm 55 on one of the two end portions thereof. The arm 55 isadapted to be rocked between a pair of limit switches 56 for operatingthe same, the switches being wired into the energization control circuitof the. motor 50.

The punches 47 are likewise mounted on a U-shaped support 57 actuated ina manner similar to that in which the support 49 is actuated. The disc48 are associated with stapling mechanisms 58.

However, the herein disclosed apparatus may be operated in associationwith any other known device for folding the open face ends of a packageof a rectangular shape. a

The face ends of a package are folded with the stack 3 (FIG. 1) beingsupported on a vertically reciprocable table 59 actuated by a motor 50through a pinion 61 meshing with a toothed rack 62 secured to the table59.

Theframe 4 includes a plate 63 for pressing the wrapping paper 13against the top side of the package 3 in the course of the wrappingoperation.

The. herein disclosedapparatus operates, as follows.

In the initial stage of the wrapping operation the support 31 (FIG. 1)is in its lowered position, the blades 36 are spaced, the electromagnets17, 29 and 44 are deenergized, the support table 59 is also in itslowered position, and the punches 46 and 47 are spaced from the dies 48,as is shown in FIG. 3.

The operating cycle begins with the conveyor 2 placing a stack 3 ontothe roller conveyor 1, whereafter the conveyor 2 is stopped. Then theconveyor 18 is actuated, and the electric motor 35 is energized forrotation in a forward direction. The bent leg of the jaw 21 is drivenpast the camplate 23, whereby the paper web 13 is gripped between thejaws and 21, and a length of the web is unwound from the supply reel.The electric motor 35 raises the support 31 together with the roller 32(into a position shown in dotted lines in the FIG. 1), and thus thepaper web 13, forwarded by the conveyor 18, is brought to overlie thestack 3. Depending on the height of the stack 3 to be packaged, anappropriate one of two possible lengths of the paper web 3 is unwoundfrom the reel and severed, the selection being performed by theappropriate positioning of the abutments 24 and 25. When the greaterlength is to be obtained, the bent leg of the jaw engages the stationaryabutment 24 at the corresponding point of the progress of the gripper 19together with the chain conveyor 18, the abutment 24 being always in thepath of the bent leg. As a result of this engagement, the movable jaw 21is pivoted away from the stationary jaw 20, whereby the gripper 19releases the paper web 13 it has been advancing. When the shorter lengthof the paper web-is to be severed, the electromagnet 29 is energized tolower the movable abutment into the path of the bent leg of the jaw 21.Thus, the latter first engages the abutment 25 which is positioned inits path forwardly of the abutment 24, and therefore, the paper web isreleased at an earlier point of the operating cycle.

Thereafter the drive of the conveyor 6 is energized, and the frame 4 isput about the stack 3, its rollers 8 being guided by the guides 7.

When the clamping plate 63 of the frame 4 engages the stack 3, theelectric motor is energized in the reverse direction, and the support 31together with the roller 32 is lowered into its initial position.

As the frame 4 is put about the stack 3 with the paper web 13 overlyingthe latter and positioned intermediate the stack and the frame, thepaper web wraps the stack along the top side and two vertical sidesthereof.

Then the drive of the conveyor 6 is deenergized, and

the electromagnet 17 is energized.

The electromagnet-l7 being energized, it drives the pusher 12 for thedownward stroke thereof, and the pusher introduces the adjacent free endof the length of the paper web 13 into the space between an adjacentpair of the rollers 11 of the conveyor 1. Then the electromagnet 17 isdeenergized, and the pusher 12 is spring-returned into its initialposition, whereafter the electric drive of the conveyor 1 is energized.The conveyor 1 being driven, it pulls the end of the paper grippedbetween the pair of its rollers under the bottom side of the stack 3.

Then the electromagnets 37 and 44 are energized. Consequently, themovable blade 36 is driven to sever the length of the paper web 13, andthe arm 42 carries the roller toward the web 13, whereby a strip of glueis applied onto the internal side of the end portion of the severedlength of the web. Simultaneously with the operations of severing andglue application the drive of the conveyor 6 is energized. After thesevering operation and the application of the glue have been completed,the motor 37 and the electromagnet 44 are deenergized.

The conveyor 6 being driven, it transmits the stack 3 with the firstfree end of the length of the web 13 folded thereunder onto therollerway 43, whereby the other free end of the length of the web, whichhas been severed and has received the strip of glue, is rolled under thestack 3, overlaps the first end and is pasted thereto.

' too. Consequently, the next successive stack 3 is placed onto theconveyor 1, and the paper web 13 is advanced to overlie this stack.

At the moment when the open-ended package with the previous stack 3thereinside is transferred onto the support table 59, the conveyor 6puts the next successive frame 4 onto the stack on the conveyor 1, andthe operating cycle of forming an open-ended package about the stack isrepeated.

With the package on the support table 59, the electric motors and 50 areenergized. Thus, the support table 59 and the punches 46, 47 are raisedinto their upper position pre-set by means of the respective one of thelimit switches 56.

Upon having reached their topmost position, the punches 47 stop, whilethe punches 46 are raised further on and enter the respective dies 48,as is shown in FIG. 4.

In this manner the open ends of the package are folded onto the faceends of the stack, whereafter mechanism 58 of any known structure securethe closed ends with staples.

Then the motors 50 and 60 are energized in the re verse direction,whereby the punches 46, 47 and the table are lowered into their initialposition.

When the conveyor 6 is energized for the next successive period, itremoves the frame 4 off the now finished package, and the followingframe with the stack therein pushes this finished package off the table59, when this following frame is driven onto the table.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for packaging stacks of flat articles into packages,comprising: an endless roller conveyor adapted to support thereon astack to be packaged and associated with a drive means for periodicallydriving said conveyor in a horizontal plane; another closed conveyordisposed in a vertical plane, associated with independent drive meansfor periodically driving said closed conveyor; an openable frame carriedby said closed conveyor and adapted to be put about said stack and thusto wrap said stack along the top side and two opposite vertical sidesthereof with a length of wrapping material; means for advancing saidwrapping material-into a position intermediate of said stack and saidframe; a pusher member associated with drive means for periodicallyintroducing said pusher member into the space between an adjacent pairof the rollers of said roller conveyor, together with the free end ofsaid length of said wrapping material, whereby said free end is pulledunder the bottom side of said stack, as said roller conveyor is drivenby said drive means thereof, in which way an open-ended package isformed; and means for folding the open face ends of said openendedpackage to form a closed package.

2. An apparatus according to the claim 1 wherein said frame is mountedon said closed conveyor by means of pivoted rods and is associated witha plurality of rollers adapted to be engaged "by stationary guide meansmounted along the two vertical and the horizontal work portions of saidclosed conveyor, said engagement providing for accurate indexing of saidframe in relation to said stack, as said frame is put about said stack,and further providing for the travel of said frame at a permanenthorizontal level in relation to the mechanisms of said apparatus.

1. An apparatus for packaging stacks of flat articles into packages,comprising: an endless roller conveyor adapted to support thereon astack to be packaged and associated with a drive means for periodicallydriving said conveyor in a horizontal plane; another closed conveyordisposed in a vertical plane, associated with independent drive meansfor periodically driving said closed conveyor; an openable frame carriedby said closed conveyor and adapted to be put about said stack and thusto wrap said stack along the top side and two opposite vertical sidesthereof with a length of wrapping material; means for advancing saidwrapping material into a position intermediate of said stack and saidframe; a pusher member associated with drive means for periodicallyintroducing said pusher member into the space between an adjacent pairof the rollers of said roller conveyor, together with the free end ofsaid length of said wrapping material, whereby said free end is pulledunder the bottom side of said stack, as said roller conveyor is drivenby said drive means thereof, in which way an open-ended package isformed; and means for folding the open face ends of said openendedpackage to form a closed package.
 2. An apparatus according to the claim1 wherein said frame is mounted on said closed conveyor by means ofpivoted rods and is associated with a plurality of rollers adapted to beengaged by stationary guide means mounted along the two vertical and thehorizontal work portions of said closed conveyor, said engagementproviding for accurate indexing of said frame in relation to said stack,as said frame is put about said stack, and further providing for thetravel of said frame at a permanent horizontal level in relation to themechanisms of said apparatus.